Fake Bake Original Self-Tanning Lotion – Lasting, Natural-Looking Sunless Tanner for All Skin Tones – Streak-Free, Buildable Color for Women & Men – 6 oz

Okay, are you not the most gifted with your hands, and worry you'll mess up bad trying to apply this stuff? Well, that's me, so read this review! I am naturally really pale. Some people have called me the most pale person ever (not exactly true - Nicole Kidman is way more pale than me), but I have been on a fitness craze lately, and wanted to get extra fit and tan. The last time I tried to use self tanning lotion was when I was like 12 years old by buying some stuff at the drug store, and I messed up royally. I had orange splotches all over me and it was a nightmare. #1 rule - patience! You just can't rush this. If you do, you WILL turn out splotchy. Probably not orange, but you will look funny. Fake Bake is AWESOME and will give you an authentic looking tan, but you have to follow the instructions carefully and be patient. First, exfoliate. I highly recommend Fake Bake Body Polish . I used this the second time around, and I felt like it was way more effective than the original exfoliator I had from the drug store. It really rubs off the dead skin cells and I love the aloe vera in it. The smell is also awesome! When you exfoliate, take your time. Use small, circular motions with a loofah, brush, or gloves. I prefer a brush. After you exfoliate and are all clean and ready to tan, you can either a) apply some lotion and rest for about thirty minutes before starting, or b) start applying Fake Bake right away. I've tried both methods, and personally prefer just putting it on right away. I actually received Fake Bake Skin Smoothie by mistake, and decided what the heck, might as well use it. You're supposed to spray it on the "difficult" areas, like your hands, feet, elbows, and knees, and then towel dry. Somehow, this is supposed to make it easier to keep the lotion applied evenly in those places. I haven't tried it without it, but I will note that I have had no issues on those areas, except for my hands (which I'll get to later). I would recommend (and so does Fake Bake) putting this on at night shortly before bed. Wear dark clothes and try to lie down on dark sheets. It will stain everything you touch, but it comes out. It takes about 4-6 hours to totally soak in, and it's most effective when your body is resting and inactive. In the morning, you can just take a shower and go on your business. Before you starting fake baking yourself, make sure to pull your hair up and put on the gloves they sent you. The lotion comes out DARK. Don't worry, it won't be so ridiculously dark in the morning. If you want to be really tan, apply more than you think you should apply. Be generous with it! Rub in small, circular motions like you would if exfoliating, and rub it in WELL. That's what the color guide is for. Rub in each area for about twenty seconds, and then rub it in a little bit more. It should be rubbed in very well so that it's not streaky in the morning. HOW LONG WILL ONE BOTTLE LAST? I really wanted the answer to this question before purchasing, and couldn't find it. So, here's my opinion. The first time I covered my entire body, and maybe a little more than 50% was gone. The second and third night I focused on only my legs, feet, chest, face, arms, and hands, and there is still a bit left in the bottle. If you're trying to cut costs by using as little as possible, do this by only applying it to "visible" areas, unless you have a real reason not to. After the first night, I woke up and took a shower. I definitely had more of a tan, but it was slight. No one really noticed. I did it again the second night (but only on those "key" areas), and the next day I went to school and got a ton of comments like, "Did you go to Hawaii or something over the weekend??" One person was shocked that it was from out of a bottle, and said it looked really natural. I was so excited! I applied a little bit more than night, and the tan lasted for about 9 days. Not too shabby. Once you get into a ritual, it's easy. I had some issues though, considering I'm a klutz and not super coordinated. I had a REALLY difficult time with my wrists and hands. Since they stress the importance of using gloves and their only hint at applying to your hands is "streak lightly," I looked kind of stupid the first day. It was streaky and I had to wear a lot of bracelets to cover it up. So, I developed a little strategy over time that has worked ever since. Once I'm finished and ready for my hands, I take off the gloves and put maybe a quarter size of Fake Bake on my right palm and rub it all over my hands and wrists. Watch out for the wrists too - rub them generously and well! If I accidentally use too much, I just rub it up further on my arms. I let it sit like that for a few minutes before lightly rinsing off my hands and scrubbing my palms so that it doesn't look like shoe shine. That has worked for me ever since. This can also be applied to your feet. Anyway, I now love looking like the native Floridian that I am! This is a cheap, effective, easy alternative to getting a spray tan. While it sounds time-consuming and sort of annoying - trust me, it'll just become ritual after awhile, and you'll look and feel great!

Let me take you through my whole experience with this product so that you understand better its advantages and pitfalls. The tanner comes with an instruction booklet and gloves (and a little tray, but I don't know what that's for). If you are going to reuse these gloves, they will stretch, so it is a good idea to have an extra pair. As long as these are thin, comfortable-to-work-in gloves, they should work fine. The ones in the package are nitrile, but I used vinyl ones once the first pair stretched too much. When I first opened the bottle and squeezed a little bit of the lotion out, I thought I had a fake product, because it smelled to me like something someone would use in construction. It looked even worse. Despite this initial bewilderment, I went ahead and spread the product on my body. The dye allows you to see where you have applied the lotion and to help you spread it. It was very easy to spread (I used circular motions) and absorbed very well. Because of the dye, my skin looked dirty after the application. It is best to apply this lotion when you will not be doing anything involving water or sweat, as this will wash off the lotion before it has time to work with your skin. I sat at a computer for 30 minutes to let the lotion absorb, then put on pyjamas and went to bed. The dye in the lotion will rub off on your clothes, but it washes off without a problem. In the morning (I looked very strange) all of the dye came off in the shower and I came out and looked in the mirror. The tan was even, my skin - happy, and I was not a bit orange. The tan looked real. So yes, this lotion does give you an even, natural-looking tan. It lasts longer than other self-tanners (such as L'Oreal's). I did 2 applications and then did not upkeep for a while, which led to several spots on my body becoming patchy. I decided to apply again. Now - no patches. Because of the patches and its terrible smell/look, I would normally give a product a 4 (since a 5 is perfect). However, this product is cheap here on Amazon (I ordered from Cosmetic Solutions), so you get a self tanner that makes your skin feel good and, of course, gives you a fantastic tan that lasts several days. Therefore - 5!

This is my Holy Grail of self tanners, and I think I've tried tons form the cheapest to ones priced such as this one, and no other brand and formula can come close to this! I have been using Fake Bake one for about 5 years now, and I will never dream of stopping. There are a few things I do now, part of my self tanning ritual that are simple enough to continue for years. For best results I shower and scrub my whole body, with some grainy and even oily scrub, then shave, I also scrub my face with face scrub, then I use body wash and dry the skin at the end. Next I put on some light body lotion all over as well as my face lotion on the face. After about 30 minutes when the lotion sinks in ( don't use anything greasy, except for something heavier on knees and elbows, self tanner seems to accumulate on that drier and tougher skin) a I either wear plastic gloves if I have them( from hair color kits or cosmetic stores)or I use bare hands ( and I scrub and wash them about 3 times when the whole body is done - the hands will be mahogany brown!!) and apply this lotion in circular motion, from feet up. I rub it in really well, and this stuff comes out BROWN. You will look like something form another planet once you are done, but that is the color guide that tells you if you missed any spots, Better to see them now than in the morning! I also put it in the face, then I get dressed in pajamas, after waiting fro like30 minutes while I relax. I wear dark pajamas only, because this will rub off on the clothes, and I make sure I wash the sheets the next day, they will stain a bit, but it always comes out in the wash, no worries, just don't use your special 1000 thread count crisp white sheets, better safe than sorry. I always do this before bed, theres not way you can walk out in this, its so dark on!! The next day when you wake up the color is a wee dark, but once I shower, the remaining color guide washes off and I look like I just came form a tropical get away. This stuff makes you look like a trillion bucks, and I love it!! I put a dab on my face almost every night, to even out my complexion, I am really white and pale and this really makes me glow, not much makeup is necessary after this self tanner. So give it a try, it's a bit of a job at first, but I have been using it for so long, that I will always be worth the price and effort, I simply love the outcome!! I also always get complements on my skin after I use this, like suddenly I'm skinny and tan, wowweee.

I’ve been using this for years - but I opened a new bottle today that I just received and it’s green which means it’s older :-/ I’m hoping that it’s still okay bc this is the only brand I like!

Last year I tried a different version of Fake Bake that was watery thin. I did not like it and left a negative email. This year I purchased the "original" version, and it is just like the original. It is thick and does not run when you try to put it on. I really like Fake Bake. My legs just glow when I put it on and they will stay dark for at least a week. I start wearing this every year around the end of March and continue using it until the tube is empty. I apply about once a week. I have had skin cancer due to my younger days in the 1970s when I worshiped the sun and we didn't know about how bad the sun was for our skin. So now I only tan with Fake Bake and use a sun screen when I'm in the sun. This is how I have perfected using tanning lotion, specifically Fake Bake. I first exfoliate/shave my legs. I wear latex gloves and start at my calves and thighs, stomach, chest, and arms. If you have any sun spots, it turns the spots darker. I rub and rub and rub in a circular motion until it is all rubbed in with no streaks. When I am finished, I take a dry washcloth and rub off the excess on my wrists, heels, feet, knees, elbows, and under my arms. Those areas look rusty with tanning lotion. I then put on an old pair of pjs and a long sleeved shirt so the sheets on my bed don't get lotion on them. It does wash out; however, it may not wash out altogether, which is the reason I wear old pajamas. I always use it before bed. The next day you can take a shower and the excess will wash off, but your skin will be tanned. If you go out in the sun and sweat and don't wash off first, you will have dark streaks running down your clothes, so remember to shower first. As long as they don't change the product, I will continue to use Fake Bake.

I used this product for over 10 years and loved it. It had its flaws but for the price I was accepting. The price climbed practically over night from $10.49 on Amazon to $33.00. Now it's not worth the price. It smells bad when applying it and I was fine with that for the fair price it once was. I just applied in private and slept alone that night. But if it's dated look out! Smells worse, it's green and oh yeah, it's runny as water. If the price were fair at under $18.00 I would return even with those flaws. But you can get Tomas or Quicktan for under $18 although with Tomas the smell is equally rough but they hold their shelf life better. I bought 4 bottles of Fake Bake a few months back for $24.00 each and it sucked. I had to pour into a spray bottle to use them because all 4 bottles were sold to me out dated and came out like sewer water. Also, if it gets warm it will get runny as melted ice cream. Think melted chocolate ice cream in a bottle. So keep it in the refrigerator when not in use. Fake Bake, you are lucky we can't give lower than a 1 star review with that crazy price climb in 8 years and all those flaws for a ridiculous price of $33.00 a bottle ! ! Really?

Wow! I have searched forever to find a tan as BROWN and natural as this! Right away, I could tell that the product wasn't going to turn my pale white legs orange. The color guide is really dark and extremely helpful so you don't end up with white patches of skin like you normally would. I have it on right now, and the color is so dark compared to what my natural color is. I almost wish I didn't have to wash off the color guide! But apparently, all you have to do is layer it if you want a really deep tan. I'm Irish and German and Scottish... In other words, ghostly pale! I would recommend this product to anyone looking for a self tanner that makes it look like they just went on vacation and spent two weeks on the beach. You get the healthy glow without all of that damaging sun exposure. I'm just so impressed with how easy this is to use. A few tips that I've noticed really help with the application are: 1. Exfoliate like CRAZY the day of application. Especially on the driest parts of your skin. For me, this is the ankles, knees, elbows, and the shins. Fake Bake sells a Body Polish that supposedly works better because it doesn't leave residue on your skin. I haven't used it, but I will probably buy it eventually. For now, a really rough body scrub works for me. Unfortunately, I'm using some off brand one or else I'd give a recommendation. 2. Moisturize really well and let your skin absorb the lotion before you apply Fake Bake. I use Seacret (the one that comes in the kit for your nails, from the Dead Sea) Lotion in Natural. For the extra dry parts (mentioned above) I apply a small amount of lotion directly before applying FB and it doesn't seem to lighten the tan in those areas, it simply helps the color go on smoother and prevents what I think of as "clumping" of the product. 3. Wear gloves! (duhhh) If you don't wear gloves, the color will stick right on your palms which tend to be dry. 4. For the tops of your feet, you only need a little bit, but if you ignore your feet, it looks really obvious that you have fake tan on, no matter how natural the color is. Same goes for the hands. If you're worried about streaking, mix some of the Fake Bake with your moisturizer. I do this for my face too because I'm too scared to apply just the color to my whole face and neck. 5. If the color guide looks streaky, the end tan is going to look streaky! Common sense, right? Well the first time I applied, I ignored the fact that the color was sticking to the line my jeans had left on my legs... and now I have tan jean marks. haha. So that's another tip, be sure you let the pants marks to go away before application. All in all, I love this product. Definitely worth the money. The best part? No more comments about how I look like I never go out in the sun! Woot! I'm going to be the tannest one of all of my friends now. :)

I am very faired skinned and have freckles so tanning is not an option for me. I am a long time user of sunless tanners and a few summers ago found this at Ulta. I loved it at first. It was easy to apply, gave a nice brown color and seemed to last for the week if I did two applications. The color was good enough that I overlooked it's drawbacks, but there are so many sunless tanners on the market I'm going to try something new this year. The draw backs: After buying a few bottles I noticed all bottles were not the same. This stuff expires! That was the first draw back I found. I didn't keep the bottle forever, and then it expired, I have bought bottles that were already bad. At first it also came with gloves and then last summer they stopped doing that. This made me very mad because you CAN NOT apply this lotion without gloves, seriously, don't even think about it. The other thing is by the next morning of application before I showered my skin was ridiculously itchy! It settles in your pores (I am one of those people that does have fairly large pores on her legs though, so keep that in mind) But it does sink in every little line and pore. If you wash it off well enough, it should be gone though. It also smells pretty bad. There isn't even a nice smell when you apply it. My husband HATES the smell, and so do I. I sometimes put it on before we go out for drinks because I need more color and perfume doesn't even cover up the smell. It takes awhile to dry, it defineitly will get on your white sheets and clohtes, but don't worry it doesn't stain. Just try not to wear a white shirt while you are out and about after you have applied, because it will rub off and everyone will see it. I still gave this product 3 stars because the color is truly the most natural I have tried. I noticed that in order to keep from looking patchy when it comes off to use a gradual sunless tanning lotion like Jergens. It will keep a base tan for you inbetween applications. It also takes about 3 applications of Fake Bake to get a darker tan. Hope this helps! And if you decide to purchase this product don't forget to wear gloves!

Fake Bake has great quality products. This works well on your face as it has a bit less pigment, I use the other darker stuff on the rest of my body. It lasts for about 3-4 days then you need to reapply. Only use a gentle cleanser (not a scrub) on your face so you dont scrub it off and lose the tan sooner.

not greasy. goes on and looks natural. Great price and this stuff works really well. No over trpoic Pina Colada Smell so wont mess with your perfume or cologne

As an extremely pale person naturally, i have not had luck with self tanners because they are patchy, streaky, sooo obvious when it starts to come off, or doesn’t blend onto my hands at all no matter how hard i try to buff it in. This self tan though is amazing! It is not very dark but it gives you a nice glow. It blends seamlessly. When it starts to come off its barely noticeable because it goes away so nicely. I personally shave and exfoliate the night before i put it on and i find that gives the best result

This is a good product overall. Easy to apply with no streaking (I use a mitten to apply). The smell doesn't bother me at all, and it doesn't transfer into clothes. However, I wish this product gave me a deeper tan. It's good for beginners who are afraid to look orange, but if you've self tanned before then you might be a bit dissatisfied with the depth of the shade this product provides.

Absolutely love this product ♥️♥️♥️ Best tan ever !!! Exactly like i used to be tan during summer time. Don’t forget to use the gloves to apply. Great price and great value. I definitely buy it again :)